Propulsion is provided by a 149-hp electric drive system, which is fueled by a 16-kilowatt lithium-ion battery pack. The vehicle can be driven solely on electric power for a range of 25-50 miles (40-80 km), depending on numerous factors. At that point, 1.4L 4-cyl. gasoline engine drives a generator to recharge the battery, extending the range to approximately 300 miles (483 km) on a single tank of fuel.

It is the world’s first plug-in electric vehicle with a range-extending gasoline generator, according to GM. The engine is not physically connected to the drivetrain. All propulsion is provided by the Voltec electric drive system.

The Volt is eligible for a $7,500 U.S. tax credit.

The battery pack carries an eight-year, 100,000 mile (160,934 km) warranty. It can be fully charged in approximately four hours when connected to a 240-volt charger, or eight hours when plugged into a standard, 120-volt AC household outlet.

Some standard features include Bluetooth hands-free cell-phone connectivity, XM satellite radio, a premium, energy-saving 6-speaker Bose sound system and five years of OnStar turn-by-turn driving instructions.

Electric cars simply are more convenient than gasoline cars and will only become more so. My electric car is always full. This is because I plug it in every night. I almost never have to take it to the garage, because upgrades/fixes are downloaded overnight....More